Mind Over Stomach

Basel is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Tel Aviv, well aside from Neve Tzedek of course so it’s easy to assume that all restaurants there are going to be extremely overpriced.

Not the case with Lulu. Cute cafe in Basel that is always busy with great food. I’ve been here for breakfast, lunch and dinner and it’s definitely the busiest on a Saturday afternoon when there’s a wait to get a table. When I first tried it, over two months ago, they told me they recently changed their menu and don’t have an up-to-date menu in English so that’s what friends are for–to translate!

I’ve had their quinoa with vegetables and really enjoyed it as it’s quite flavorful. When I first tried it, I finished the whole dish and my friends turned to me an said “You’re still hungry”, and they were correct. Although it was a decent portion, it didn’t have much to it–it wasn’t heavy and I was starving so I ended up eating some bread and butter. Wow, exciting.  I did take the risk of ordering it another time, but I was less starving so it was perfect for me. For breakfast I’ve had their challah french toast and it’s so delicious topped with syrup and fresh fruit. I think it was some of the best challah french toast that I’ve ever had.

The service is inconsistent. I’ve had waitresses that check in with us every few minutes to make sure everything is okay, and other times, they go completely missing and we’re left unattended. I enjoy this place and it’s ambiance, and sometimes its food and service…

Lulu
5 Alkelay Street

I was hearing about this place left and right. Go here for brunch, it’s amazing. Okay, fine. I must check it out. We were able to get a reservation for three at 1pm on a Saturday–we’ll take it. It’s a pretty big space as there is a lot of outside seating as well as an inside space that completely reminds me of Balthazar in NYC. Same french bistro-type feel that was going to be overpriced. And indeed it was. The menu was in Hebrew/French with no English. Alright, I can read some French and my friends can read Hebrew–we can do this. There were some specials for the day which sounded yummy. Then salads, seafood, pastas and sandwiches. I ordered the appetizer portion of the artichoke ravioli and a salad. The service was quick and the waitress was very nice. The ravioli came out first, 3 small overcooked raviolis that had potential to be delicious. Ravioli and gnocchi are the two hardest things to perfect because leaving them in the boiling water for one minute longer can really mess them up. The artichoke and the light cream sauce was great but really, just needed a minute less of cooking time. I ordered a salad that was lettuce, cheese (than ended up being blue cheese, so I didn’t eat it), walnuts and candied pears. It was good not great. My friends enjoyed their BLTs and fries. I of course picked on the fries that I thought were excellent. Overall, we had a nice time but felt it was a bit too overpriced for me to go back for a meal that was just so so.

Brasserie
Ibn Gvirol, 70

I’m not usually a fan of chain cafes and often like the small, lesser-known places but that’s not the case when it comes to LoveAt. With two locations that are very prominently located in Tel Aviv–they both have very different atmospheres. I prefer the one on Nachalat Binyamin. I have spent hours sitting in the back garden area catching up with friends or in my own little world on the computer. They have an extensive menu of salads, sandwiches, paninis and such. I get the chicken with tahini salad with tofu instead of chicken. So many different flavors of deliciousness. If you go during lunchtime, they have a “business lunch” that includes a drink and starter. I once had the veggie soup as a starter which was good but a bit too filling for me. I prefer the veggie sticks although I find it very strange that it’s cucumbers, carrots and beets with a peanuty sauce. Beets? WHY? Random. Anyway, everyone is very nice and friendly there, and nobody gives you a hard time for sitting there for many hours. I heard the upstairs is great as well. Nachalat Binyamin is quite the people watching street, so it’s fun to sit out front and get distracted by the cast of characters walking by. The location on Dizengoff and Jabotinsky is much smaller and less room to sit and spread out and I don’t think the food is quite as good.

LoveAt
Nachalat Binyamin 3/Dizengoff & Jobotinsky

First time walking around Neve Tzedek and my friend and I decided to grab a small lunch together. Sitting outside on a gorgeous day with amazing people watching. Our waiter was so friendly and nice. We both had miso soup. I thought it was very disappointing. Not salty enough and too many bean sprouts which I really didn’t enjoy. Then I ordered the “orange roll” which was sweet potato tempura with cucumber, carrots and asparagus (and of course I asked for without avocado). It was so flavorful and delicious. I could have had more than one but know I will definitely be going back for more soon!

Okinawa
46 Shabazi Street

When I first arrived in Tel Aviv, I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen in 10 years at Pua in Jaffa. Really cute place with old fashion tables and chairs and dishes and lots of tchotchkes all over the place. It really looks like it could have been your grandmothers house at one point, just added some tables and a chef and some waiters/waitresses. I was happy because there was an English menu and lots of veggie options. We both decided to have the veggie burger. I was really looking forward to my first veggie burger in Israel but was very disappointed. It was massive. Too massive, and too mushy. It was potato based which of course for me is better than mushroom because atleast I enjoy potatoes but not this. I couldn’t even pick it up to eat it, it needed to be cut into pieces and you know how I feel about having to cut my food. Potatoes came on the side, and I enjoyed those but obviously this was not a very fulfilling meal. Luckily it was great catching up with a friend I hadn’t seen in so long that made up for the eh, food.

Several weeks later I returned with other friends, and had a beyond fun and friendly waitress. When she blanked on English words, she referred to herself having “blackouts.” We shared two amazingly flavorful salads and I ordered the dumplings in a curry sauce. Sounded a bit adventurous for me but hey, I like dumplings and recently grew an interest for curry. It was basically a curry soup with mixed veggies, rice on the side and honestly, no dumplings to be found. I was quite confused, and curious as to where the dumplings were, but by the time the waitress came back to our table. I had basically finished the curry soup. It was very delicious, whatever it may have been called when there’s no dumplings in a dish listed as “dumplings.” A dish lost in Hebrew/English translation? I think so.

Pua
Rabi Yochanan 3

Conveniently located near my apartment and open on Shabbat. I’ve spent many hours here because it’s a very comfortable environment with many young people sitting, eating, chatting and/or keeping to themselves on their computers with headphones on. The unfortunate thing is the number of chain smokers that sit outside. The first thing I tried here was the chai latte, which I can honestly say was the best one in Tel Aviv that I’ve had so far but of course it’s overpriced at 19nis ($5) = more expensive than Starbucks! The waitresses are all very pleasant and nobody gives you a hard time if you’ve been sitting there for hours and only have a drink. The food is fair–it looks better than it tastes. The quinoa salad comes with almonds, full almonds, not sliced almonds. I find full almonds very difficult to eat, especially when they’re amongst other ingredients in a salad and then all of a sudden, okay, focus, chew chew chew. Not for me. I’ve also had their mozzarella and tomato sandwich which should be hot and either fresh or melted, instead it was a bit too mushy for me. I do enjoy the bread selection they give with their salads. I would say, stick with the beverages here, and eat elsewhere.

Cafe Arlozorov
Arlozorov, 53

There are two Buddha Burger locations in Tel Aviv but I’ve only been to the one of Ibn Gvirol just because it’s closer to my apartment not because I like it better (and actually have heard the one on Yehuda HaLevy is better because there is more seating and it’s less of a take-out place). Anyway, I’ve been a few times and always ordered the Okara Burger that is made of the firm part of soybeans with tahini instead of mustard. It’s delicious especially with grilled onions on top. The problem with being a vegetarian is that you’re always still hungry, at least I am. So when I first went there, I decided to order a salad as well. I ordered the Quinoa Salad which had dried cranberries, celery, walnuts, parsley, mint and coriander. It seemed like the perfect addition to my non-filling but delicious burger. Waiting, waiting, hungry, hungry and the chef brings my salad out. There are chunks of tomatoes, olives and tofu. Woah woah woah. This is not what I ordered. I give it back to her and show her what I ordered off the menu and I am not in the mood for tofu and hate olives. She tells me that this is exactly what I ordered. I show her what the menu says again, and she gives me a devastated look. “What’s wrong?” and she begins to explain that the English translation must have been a huge mistake because the Quinoa Salad does have all those ingredients but for some reason it doesn’t say it on the English menu. She thanked me for noticing the error, but really I didn’t notice the error I just didn’t want those ingredients in my salad! She offered to take it back but honestly at that point, I was so hungry, I decided to take all the ingredients off and just eat the Quinoa. What a waste of time and money. Could have had two Okara burgers at that point and been happy.

Buddha Burger
Ibn Gvirol, 86

Hazaken Ve Hayam otherwise known as The Old Man and the Sea. I didn’t know where we were going. My friend said this was going to be a really fun experience. Okay, I’m in for fun! Sat in traffic from Tel Aviv to Jaffa and finally made it here, were immediately seated and without even having the chance to talk to the waiter, he brought out a huge, steaming hot pita bread. Then a pitcher of lemonade. Then a tray with approximately 20 small plates with all different dips and veggies and sauces and such. It was incredible. Of course I didn’t like more than half of them (fish, eggs, beets, spicy-ness) but the things that I did eat were incredible. I’m trying to understand how people have the stomach to actually order food after that. It’s so filling and delicious and totally reasonably priced. I will be returning here soon!

Hazaken Ve Hayam
Kedem Street, Jaffa

I’m trying to understand why there’s such a hype about Moses. There’s so much amazing food in Tel Aviv and fresh fruits & veggies and such, and people are resorting to a very typical American burger joint? I don’t get it. I went with friends the other day for Linner (late lunch, early dinner) at Moses. We waited for too long considering how big of a place it was but they didn’t have a table for 8 at 5pm. I don’t eat meat and I don’t like beer so when people get excited to go for “beer and burgers” it means I eat a salad or veggie burger and have a glass of wine. I’m difficult, I know. So I starred at the menu for a long time deciding if I should get cheese quesadillas or the veggie burger (tofu, soy beans and ugh, mushrooms). I really wasn’t in the mood for quesadillas so I decided to be a strong woman and go for the veggie burger but cringed when telling the waiter knowing I was about to eat something with mushrooms. After waiting and waiting, and being anxious to eat, the food came. The whole grain bun was toasted and tasty, as were the onion strings but the veggie burger was a waste of time. I put so much ketchup on it, to disguise the fact that I was eating mushrooms. It’s like what I used to do with meat–a waste of time. Okay, glad I tried it, i guess, but there’s absolutely no reason to force myself to eat mushrooms. I know I don’t like them, end of story. Oh and obviously the place in general is overpriced. No need for me to go back there thank you very much.

Moses
35 Rothschild

Walking around Ibv Gvirol trying to find somewhere new to eat, and I stumbled upon Horkonus Cafe. The waiter told me to sit wherever I want, handed me a menu in English and said, “this is a fucking terrible menu!” “what, why?”-me “It just doesn’t translate well, it doesn’t make much sense and spelling is bad.” I told him it wasn’t a big deal and I’d figure it out considering many places in Tel Aviv don’t even have a menu in English so this was a plus. Okay, so he was right, the menu was pretty bad with spelling and there were VERY few options for me (considering it was a cafe, oh and I’m picky). I ordered a mozzarella and tomato sandwich and he told me they didn’t have anymore so he pulled a chair up next to me and asked me what I liked. Of course I told him, I didn’t like most things. “Do you like eggs?” “Ew, no” “What about fish?” “Nope, and no meat either” “Oy, what about a salad we have lots of salads” and so I ordered the “greens salad with cheese and fruit”, and an iced tea. As usual in Israel, ordering the iced tea was a mistake because it was Nestea, it’s always Nestea but I often give it a chance and hope it’s not going to be Nestea. Oh did I mention, Nestea is disgusting!?! Okay, so my salad came out and it was mixed greens, with a few pieces of gooey cheese and a few pieces of apple. Awesome, that’s really going to fill me up when I haven’t eaten since dinner the night before. I ate the nothing salad, spent more money than it was worth and went and got a falafel down the street. And people wonder why I stick with the same restaurants and same meals?

Horkonus Cafe
Horkonus & Ibn Gvirol